Flights considered from 4 U.S. cities to Sao Paulo

Friday, June 21, 2013

The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed new or expanded U.S. air carrier rights from four cities – Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit, and Charlotte, N.C. – to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The proposed awards would go to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and US Airways.
“We look forward to additional opportunities for U.S.-Brazil air service when full Open Skies takes effect in two years,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in a statement.
If the DOT proposal is made final, American would inaugurate the only daily nonstop service by a U.S. airline between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, while Delta would add a second daily flight from Atlanta. In addition, the tentative decision would enable Delta to continue its daily service from Detroit and US Airways to continue to operate a daily flight from Charlotte.
DOT said the additional flights are the result of a U.S.-Brazil agreement reached in March 2011. The agreement provided for a phase-in of new air service opportunities until October 2015, after which all restrictions on air routes, destinations and fares between the two countries will be lifted.
In its proposed decision, DOT said American’s planned Los Angeles service would provide the only nonstop flights by a U.S. carrier to Sao Paulo from the West Coast, while a second daily flight by Delta from its Atlanta hub would give connecting passengers from more than 150 cities an additional option for travel to Brazil.
DOT said its proposed decision also would “enable Delta and US Airways to continue Sao Paulo service that they might otherwise have to give up due to arrangements with other airlines. Continuing Delta’s Detroit service and US Airways’ Charlotte flights would maintain valuable connections to Brazil from two important hub airports.”